New York, 11 May 2011 — Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale realized $301,683,630 (£184,026,630/€211,178,100), exhibiting a thriving and healthy market for art, in which buyers fiercely competed for works of utmost quality, provenance and beauty. The auction’s sell through rates — 95% sold by lot and 99% sold by value — reaffirms Christie’s position as market leader for the category.

Brett Gorvy, Christie’s International Co-Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art, Deputy Chairman comments: “Tonight’s extraordinary results exemplify the market’s vigor for top-quality works of art. Christie’s remains the Warhol leader, with $90,988,000 in Warhol sales in this auction alone; including the establishment of a brilliant new world auction record for a portrait by the Pop master for his seminal 1963-1964 Self-Portrait, which achieved $38,442,500. A total of seven new world auction records were established, including those for Cindy Sherman, Cy Twombly and cutting-edge contemporary artist, Urs Fischer, whose Untitled (Lamp/Bear), realized $6,802,500 – six times the artist’s previous world auction record. The sale results reflects Christie’s mission to distinguish itself in offering buyers major objects with fair estimates, underscored by a superior responsibility to the works of art themselves.”

Astounding prices were achieved for works by Andy Warhol, as all eight works of the artist’s works offered were sold for a combined total of $90,988,000. Most notably Christie’s established a new world auction record for a portrait by Warhol with the evening’s top lot, Self-Portrait 1963-1964, which realized $38,442,500. The work was finally sold after a riveting 16-minute competition between bidders in the room and on the phone.

In a landmark for contemporary photography, the sale of Cindy Sherman’s Untitled color coupler print from her 1981 Centerfold series was not only a world auction record for Sherman, but represents a new world auction record for any photograph.

Overall, two lots sold over $30 million, four lots sold above $20 million, five lots sold above $10 million, 14 sold over $5 million and 52 sold over $1 million.